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Nutella Tartlets with Banana

There’s this rumor going around the Internet that there is a threat of a Nutella shortage looming…Well, I guess I owe you all an apology then. My Nutella comsumption has increased sevenfold since we arrived in Italy. Why? I’m not sure. It could be that it’s so delicious, and the Italian version seems somehow creamier than the kind we have in the States. It could also be that it is less expensive here than it is at home. Or that it is available just about everywhere. Every bakery has some sort of pastry either filled-with or topped-with the sweet chocolate-hazelnut spread that makes me not even care what time of the day it is…Breakfast, lunch, middle of the night after returning from a double-feature screening at the Venice Film Festival, it’s always Nutella Time. You can even get gelato swirled with it. Not to worry though, the good news is that Ferrero has denied the possibility of a Nutella shortage, so we can all plan on making these Nutella Tartlets with Banana whenever we feel like.

In my humble and experienced opinion, Nutella is best enjoyed slightly warm with some sort of bread/pastry element, and if you’re really feeling ambitious (or want to be “healthy”) you’ll add some fruit. I believe that I have had a piece of toast with Nutella and sliced bananas every day this Summer. I even found a hilarious/awesome “Nutella Stretcher”- a special knife that is designed for getting as much of the Nutella from the jar as possible. For real…There actually is such a thing, and I happened to come across it in a knife store in Maniago, the knife capital of Italy. While this is not the type of knife that we originally were searching for, I was sort of bubbling with glee at my discovery. If I make it back to that store again before I leave Italy, I might have to pick one up to give away to a blog reader, because after further research I found that it isn’t even available on Amazon! Unthinkable–Typically I live by the motto that if Amazon doesn’t have it, then I don’t need it. Not this time, Amazon. Get with the program, please.

These tartlets are really straightforward. Make the dough, pre-bake the crust, spread with Nutella, top with bananas, bake a few more minutes, then sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Enjoy! Including chilling time, you’ll be ready to devour these little beauties in about an hour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, food processor, fork, or your fingers until the butter is incorporated and is the size of small peas.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the milk.

Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, then bring the dough together and knead a few times by hand.

Divide dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and set aside while you roll out the other half.

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out thin.

Cut twelve rounds of dough (slightly larger than the diameter of your tartlet molds) and line each mold with dough, removing any excess dough hanging over the edges.

Prick the dough in each mold several times with a fork.

Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake chilled tartlet crusts for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Remove from oven (do not turn oven off) and fill each crust with 1-2 tablespoons Nutella.

Slice bananas and top each tartlet with a few slices.

Return to oven for 3-5 more minutes, until Nutella is warmed and bananas have softened but not turned dark.